According to an Associated Press report, FanDuel will pay out more than $82,000 on an erroneous sports betting ticket. New Jersey’s Anthony Prince on Tuesday shared his story with local media, saying he placed an in-game wager on the Denver Broncos to beat the Oakland Raiders when the Broncos were down with 1 minute, 10 seconds to play. He placed his bet at the FanDuel Sportsbook at the Meadowlands, and the printed ticket showed +75000, when it should have showed -600. The cashier did not catch the error and after the Broncos won by a point on a last-second field goal, Prince tried to collect.
Initially, FanDuel declined to pay Prince, but after investigating, on Thursday announced that it would make good on not only Prince’s bet, but on several others made during the same time span.
The company reportedly decided to pay because it said “sports betting is supposed to be fun.”
FanDuel Agrees to Pay and NJ Division of Gaming Enforcement ‘Encouraged’ by Decision
The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement has been following the case and by its rules, FanDuel had five business days to resolve the issue. On Thursday, it issued the following statement:
“The Division is encouraged by FanDuel’s actions today. The Division will continue to work with FanDuel and the State’s other licensed sports wagering operators to ensure the implementation of industry wide best practices.”
According to FanDuel, the ticket that should have been generated would have shown that Prince had to bet $600 to win $100. Instead, his $110 bet is now good for a total payout of $82,610. On Sunday, when FanDuel declined to pay on the ticket, it reportedly offered Prince $500 and tickets to several NFL New York Giants games, but he declined. The company then opened an investigation, though its rules clearly state that erroneous tickets will be paid out at the “correct odds.”
FanDuel was not immediately available for comment.
